WEBVTT STORY.REPORTER: FROM THE LAUGHS ANDSMILES, YOU WOULD NEVER KNOWTHAT THESE TWO HAVE BEEN FRIENDSFOR LESS THAN A YEAR >> WE'RE FRIENDS.REPORTER: YOU'D ALSO NEVER KNOWWHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH.IN 2014 BRENT GARROW WASDIAGNOSED WITH KIDNEY DISEASEAND NEEDED A TRANSPLANT.>> I LOVE TO SKI BUT I COULDN'TGET UP THEIR I COULDN'T DO ITREPORTER: SO HIS MOM TOOK TOSOCIAL MEDIA, POSTING A PLEA FORHER SON A PLEA THAT 2ND GRADE TEACHERSUMMER STOUTES FIRST READ IN HERCLASSROOM.SHE DIDN'T THINK TWICE ABOUTVOLUNTEERING.>> AT FIRST WHEN I SAW I SAW THEPICTURE OF HIS MOM AND I HAVEKIDS AND I THOUGHT IF ONE OF MYKIDS WAS GOING THROUGH THAT IWOULD WANT TO HELP THEMREPORTER: SUMMER KNOWS A LITTLESOMETHING ABOUT KIDNEY PROBLEMS.HER HUSBAND SURVIVED KIDNEYCANCER.>> I JUST FELT REALLY STRONGLYABOUT ITREPORTER: BRENT WAS SURPRISED,HE NEVER THOUGHT HIS MOM'S POSTWOULD CHANGE HIS LIFE MANY PEOPLE CARED FOR ME THATMUCH AND OF COURSE, SHE DIDN'TKNOW ME AT THE THE TIMEREPORTER: THAT'S RIGHT, THE TWODIDN'T MEET UNTIL THE DAY AFTERTHE SURGERY >> IT WAS WEIRD IT WAS KIND OFLIKE WE KNEW EACH OTHERREPORTER: ALMOST A YEAR AFTERTHE OPERATION, BOTH ARE DOINGWELL >> I HAVEN'T TAKEN A NAP SINCETHE SURGERY, I USED TO TAKE TWOA DAY.REPORTER: AND NOW SUMMER HASBEEN NAMED A RED CROSS EVERY DAYHERO, BUT SHE DOESN'T SEE ITTHAT WAY.>> I MEAN I FEEL BLESSED THAT IWAS ABLE TO DO IT IT CHANGED MEFOREVER. IT'S JUST BEEN ANEXPERIENCE THAT I'M SO HAPPYTHAT I COULD APART OFREPORTER: BRENT SAYS SHEDESERVES THE RECOGNITION.SHE'S HIS HERO FOR SURE.>> SHE HAD NO REASON UNDERNEATHTHE SUN TO DO ANYTHING GOOD FORME AND SHE SAVED MY LIFE AND I'MSTILL HERE TODAY AND ABLE TO DOEVERYTHING I LOVE BECAUSE OF HERREPORTER: BRENT WILL SOON GOBACK TO WORK AS A RUTLAND CITYFIREFIGHTER AND POLICE OFFICERIN PITTSFORD.BUT HE HAS ANOTHER JOB NOW TOO,SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT ORGANDONATION.>> IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUCAN GIVE BUT IF YOU CAN DOSOMETHING FOR SOMEONE JUST DO IT>> I WISH THAT I HAD 30 MOREKIDNEYS AND COULD DONATE 30 MORETIMESREPORTER: FURTHER PROOF THATEVEN IF SHE DOESN'T THINK SO,SHE IS DEFINATELY A HERO.>> THANK YOU SUMMER

Strangers linked for life after kidney donation

Summer Stoutes donated her kidney to save Brent Garrow’s life

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Updated: 10:01 AM EDT Apr 6, 2017

RUTLAND, Vt. —

On the five-year anniversary of her husband's successful kidney transplant, Summer Stoutes said she saw a heart-wrenching post on social media and she knew she had to take action.

Brent Garrow's mom posted a plea on Facebook because her son was diagnosed with kidney disease and needed a transplant.

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"At first, when I saw I saw the picture of his mom, I have kids and I thought if one of my kids was going through that, I would want to help them," Stoutes said.

She immediately applied to be an organ donor. Garrow was surprised. He didn't think his mom's post would change his life.

"I did not really think that many people cared for me that much and of course, she didn't know me at the the time," Garrow said.

The two met a day after the surgery, and almost a year later, she has saved a life, and has a lifelong friend.

"I haven't taken a nap since the surgery. I used to take two a day," Garrow said.

Now, Stoutes has been named a Red Cross Everyday Hero, but she doesn't see it that way.

"I mean I feel blessed that I was able to do it. It changed me forever," Stoutes said. "It's just been an experience that I'm so happy that I could a part of."

"She had no reason underneath the sun to do anything good for me and she saved my life and I'm still here today and able to do everything I love because of her," Garrow said.

He will soon go back to work as a Rutland City firefighter and a police officer in Pittsford, but he has another job now, too: spreading the word about organ donation with his new friend.

"It doesn't matter what you can give but if you can do something for someone, just do it," Garrow said.

"I wish that I had 30 more kidneys and could donate 30 more times," Stoutes said.